Back again for a break around dinner time - it's free drinks at this hotel for 2 hours at the moment too
I wonder where Tony is
OK back to this morning..........
Jersey Jack - Wizard of Oz Pinball.As usual - I will say it as I saw it - hopefully you wont read this negatively as I am trying to tell you what was said in the one and a half hours he spoke for.....
Firstly, we were really dissapointed that this was just a 'talk'......if it were me / us, I would be bringing the whitewood and some small samples of bits from the game so that people could touch and feel it to make it more 'real'.......there was nothing really, not ONE image and only at the very end did some printed artwork come out and get passed around.
Jack apparently runs a lot of games in a lot of the major theme parks across the US like Universal Studios and 6 Flags etc etc - they are redemption games etc, In relation to WOz, he is planning to have 5 or 6 prototypes of WOz in some of his existing specified locations to test them out in around December this year - he stated that he has a 42,000 square feet warehouse in New Jersey where the full 'production line' will be once that is up and running - he anticipates full production to start in around March.
He is offering up JJ Pinball factory Tours when the set up is running and also the possibility of a webcam in the facility so the production can be viewed on-line.
He let VERY VERY LITTLE out about the game itself ( basically nothing to be honest ) other than stating........
* That 2 other 'secret' designers who dont want to be named are working on the game as well.
* That the game will have SOMETHING in it's appeal which he is confident will bring people back to pinball ( what that SOMETHING is - well that wasnt specified
He also mentioned that he has 2 other games being designed right now as well - NO info was given about either of them other than the 2 'secret' designers are the guys doing those 2 games and one of them wants it to be Elvira / monster themed and that Elvira is already talking to them in a positive way about it.
So in a nut-shell , we really got nothing truly tangible about WOz - the crowd asked a lot of questions afterwards.
I can say he is a very positive guy - I wish him every success.
We had lunch sitting with him later, and he gave us a little more 'idle chat' but still nothing more.
I asked him if he was concerned that if he doesnt get some real tangible evidence / games out and meet deadlines IF he is concerned the pinball community would be saying to itself ' here we go again' ( I am sure you all know what I mean ) .....and he just confidently said he is getting this game done - period.
Colour DMD'sI went to this seminar , Tony chose not to.
Personally I think these look very good, the dots appear bigger to me and the colour is a 'little' pastel ( ish ) rather than 'burn your retina's out bright.
After the speech I believe these have a long way to go before they are 'common-place'.
The only one completed is AFM - it is on display here and you can play the game.
There has been a lot go into these , it comes with a seperate board to run it all and the screen is larger than required and they only use the centre portion of the actual screen to display the correct size of a standard DMD size.
Maybe you can make out what I am saying from this image
He said they have 2 more games / DMD's in the process at the moment but didnt say what games they are.
These DMD's are GAME SPECIFIC - meaning ( for now ) they cant be interchanged between games , he indicated that maybe down the track this can change.
They are releasing 100 units towards the end of this year for AFM at $399.00 each.
Back in the main hall today was busier than last night.
At least all the EM's are getting some loving today.
Talking of getting some loving - looks like Tony has a new fan - I mean this IS San Francisco
After the love-fest Tony ripped into the Jolly Park game - this really is a GREAT game, we both like it a lot.
I mentioned Elvira earlier - it turns out she is here too
There is a beautiful Fire Power here ....really nice game.
And on top of it they put this STUPID BLOODY THING.
Come on all you Topper Lovers - tell me how SWEET and COOL this looks hey
There is an area at the back dedicated to the historical games like this one.
And now - even the games themselves are telling me how I play
I am off to find Tony - probably passed out in the foyer - and back to the hall for some more games.
